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Edited by: John Stewart

Documents Outlining Improper Political & Lobbying Activity Now Available To Public

Washington, D.C. - Information that outlines numerous examples of illegal political and lobbying activity at the Department of the Interior is now available to the public. The information was compiled by the U.S. House Committee on Resources during a year-long investigation into the improper activities at the Department's Office of Insular Affairs (OIA).

The information was submitted in the Committee's official record during an oversight hearing on July 12. The four packets include information on improper involvement in political activities, lobbying, privacy intrusions and lawsuits by Interior Department officials. This information can be obtained by calling Steve Hansen at (202) 225-7749 or Arturo Silva at (202) 225-4063.

Earl E. Devaney, Inspector General for the Department of the Interior, testified at last week's hearing that improper activities by former Interior official David North were "the most egregious example I've seen" in 30 years of law enforcement. Devaney testified that he had encouraged the Justice Department to initiate prosecution, and was disappointed when they declined.

Another former Interior official - Allen Stayman - is the subject of a separate, ongoing investigation by the Office of Special Counsel into allegations of illegal political activity. Inspector General Devaney testified that Stayman had admitted to investigators that he contacted the Democratic National Committee, and provided a memorandum and draft press release urging them to intervene in a local election in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a territory overseen by OIA. At the hearing, Stayman denied making this admission to the Inspector General, and denied sending the memorandum to the DNC - although he acknowledged the signature on the memorandum is his. Stayman claimed that he signed the memorandum, but had not read it and did not send it.

Inspector General Devaney testified that North conducted political activity from his federal office during work hours against Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX), Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-TX), and U.S. Reps. Phil English (R-PA), Brian Bilbray (R-CA) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA). In addition, Devaney testified that North sought to assist Democrat Congressional candidates and had contact with the Democrat National Committee and the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee.

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